The Quadra Island Cultural Committee is delighted to announce that pianist Janina Fialkowska will be giving a recital on Saturday March 20th at 8p.m. at the Quadra Island Community Centre. Her Programme is entitled “Birthday Boys” and includes works by Frédérick Chopin and Robert Schumann, in honour of the 200th anniversary of their births; and includes some pieces by Mozart (It’s his 254th!).

Born in Montreal to a Canadian mother and Polish father, Ms. Fialkowska began to study piano at the age of 4, proceeding to the École de Musique Vincent d’Indy where she earned both degrees of Baccalaureat and Maitrise by age 17. In 1969 she won first prize in the Radio Canada Talent Festival and travelled to Paris to study, a year later entering the Juillard School of Music in New York. In 1974 she was a finalist in the Arthur Rubinstein Master Piano Competition in Israel, and became the incomparable Rubinstein’s protégée, being launched into a highly successful career with his backing. She has performed with the most renowned orchestras and conductors in North America, Europe, Japan and Israel.

Ms. Fialkowska, the founding Director of “Piano Six”, an organization which provided for six of Canada’s foremost pianists to visit remote areas annually, played on Quadra Island under it’s auspices in 2001. Acknowledged both for her musical achievements and her commitment to making music more accessible in Canada, she was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002.

In January 2002 she was diagnosed with a tumour in the muscle of her left arm. After surgery to remove this she had to undergo a delicate muscle transfer operation to allow her to continue her career. After 18 months of playing the Ravel and Prokofiev “concertos for the left hand” (which she had to transcribe for the right), she resumed her two handed career to great acclaim. A prominent English critic recently wrote “She’s back and more characterful than ever-high class playing, deeply felt and demonstrably authentic.”

Ms. Fialkowska has now resumed a grueling concert schedule, already this season with performances in the U.S, Canada, Ireland and Germany, and continuing in both North America and Europe. Her recent performance in Augsburg was described as “Stupendous-irresistibly virtuosicwith enormous applause. The whole audience was transported. Amazed, we experienced what Chopin demands, how his difficult, rich and mysterious art still has such impact.” Her recent recording of Chopin works was described as being “brilliant and highly virtuosic recordings-an unusual testimony to the art of perfect pianism.” There is a very interesting website at www.fialkowska.com with interviews and articles.

This is a concert not to be missed. We are honoured to welcome such a wonderful player back to Quadra Island. Advance tickets are available for $17 at Quadra Crafts and Hummingbird Office and Art Supply on Quadra Island, and at The Music Plant in Campbell River. Students 16 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be available at the door for $20. For more information call 250 285 3084.